Haskell Agricultural Laboratory 50th Anniversary Celebration

Today we celebrate 50 years of work done here at the Haskell Agricultural Laboratory for Nebraska. Work that addresses issues of great importance here. Work that matters. As your land-grant university, it is a point of pride for us to celebrate work done for our state. We are at work for Nebraska. That's our heritage. It's why we're here.

COMMENSAL RODENTS

The evolution of effective rodent control has been greater in the past 20 years than during the previous 200 years. Mankind need no longer fear the "black death," typhus, and other rodent-borne diseases. Likewise, there is no longer any reason why we must bear the cost of serious economic losses because of commensal rodent damage to property. Unfortunately, the latter still totals many millions of dollars each year. Damage and contamination of food products by house mice now probably equals or exceeds that caused by rats.

Why Are We Writing? This is Math Class!

In this action research study of my classroom of 8th grade mathematics, I investigated writing in the content area. I have realized how important it is for students to be able to communicate mathematical thoughts to help gain a deeper understanding of the content. As a result of this research, I plan to enforce the use of writing thoughts and ideas regarding math problems. Writers develop skills and generate new thoughts and ideas every time they sit down to write. Writing evolves and grows with ongoing practice, and that means thinking skills mature along with it. Writing is a classroom activity which offers the possibility for students to develop a deeper understanding of the mathematics they are learning. Writing encourages students to reflect on and explore their reasoning and to extend their thinking and understanding. Students are often content with manipulating symbols and doing routine math problems, without ever reaching a deep and personal understanding of the material. My goal through this project was to help students understand why they were doing certain operations to solve math problems. Writing is an essential tool for thinking and is fundamental in every class, in every subject, and on every level of thinking; skills in writing must be practiced and refined, and students must have frequent opportunities to write across the curriculum. Communication in mathematics is not a simple and unambiguous activity.